“Thus their heads wear this hilarious, hideous,Awful falseness of set-smiling corpses.Thus their hands are plucking at each other;Picking at the rope-knouts of their scourging;Snatching after us who smote them, brother,Pawing us who dealt them war and madness.”
Known for their affiliation with War and its true Horrors the words of war poet Wilfred Owen scarecely fall on deaf ears. Affecting soldiers long after the immediate effects of trench foot, gunshot wounds and shell shock we place ourselves in the trenches. As the uncaring artillery battering of warfare was ever present, soldiers would scream “incoming!” before yet another deafening assault. Returning to the bog ridden marshes of battle we greet the lecherous grin of Incoming Death from our brothers in arms Asphyx.
[tracklist]
- Candiru
- Division Brandenburg
- Wardroid
- The Feeder
- It Came From The Skies
- The Grand Denial
- Incoming Death
- Forerunners Of The Apocalypse
- Subterra Incognita
- Wildland Fire
- Death : The Only Immortal
[/tracklist]
[details]
[length]48:00[/length]
[record_label]Century Media Records[/record_label]
[release_date]30th September 2016[/release_date]
[/details]
Going over the proverbial too immediately we’re launched into the Death Metal maelstrom with “Candiru” after a flurry of breakneck riffs shows its true colours with an ironbound half time feel riff as Van Drunen‘s undead howls echo through the track. Going with the Old School Death Metal monicker and truly running with it Incoming Death might change its pace with the likes of Paradise Lost style brooder “The Grand Denial” whose mammoth riff slows the pace before disappearing into the ether once more with a poignant acoustic section. Perfectly contrasted with the injection of adrenaline of “Forerunners Of The Apocalypse” whose bulldozing riff, coupled with subtle yet always bemoaning harmonies brings this air of despondency synonymous with Death Metal.
“It Came From The Skies” detailing the Science fiction arrival of aliens is also a perfect encapsulation of the sense of lugubrious urgency present on Incoming Death. Much like the infallible villains it’s slow, purposeful steps will always catch up with you biting at the listeners heels. Though at times the band do simply want to rip you apart with title track “Incoming Death” landing like artillery leaving the listener somewhat shell shocked after its two minute assault. Not to say the band don’t want any groove to be lost with slow burning “Wildland Fire” whose impervious armour is seldom ever pierced. Playing with conviction each member of the band has the perfect understanding of the ethos that surrounds Asphyx.
Final track and ode to the scythe wielding one “Death : The Only Immortal” sees Asphyx experiment with a riff that could have been pulled out of Blakshyrkh itself.Having been five years since their previous release of Deathhammer the Dutch infantry have had anything but their claws dulled. Coming out in the military frenzy that is Incoming Death the band have given their statement of crushing intent. Courtesy of the stunning production provided by Dan Swano cymbals sing, guitars crunch, vocals pierce and bass rumbles to provide the perfect attack formation on the vanguard of Death Metal. Incoming Death might not be for everyone owing to its unabashed aggression but as the saying goes all fair in love and war.
[verdict]Yes[/verdict]
[why]Creating an aural equivalent of the battlefield Asphyx return five years later with a truly remorseless, haunting and utterly brilliant love letter to death that every fan of Death Metal should hear.[/why]
If you like what you read / heard then you can pick up a copy of the brand new album here!
